Proposal Fail
by kaycee96
Summary: Troy struggles to get everything perfect for his proposal to Gabriella. OneShot.


**A/N: I DON'T OWN HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL…IF I DID, I WOULD BE RICH.**

"If I could imagine a perfect proposal, it would be in a garden and we would be dressed up, it would be spring time and birds and butterflies and flowers would surround us as we stood in the sunset. He would say a poem that he wrote himself and tell me all the reasons of why he loves me. Then he would ask the big question and when I would say yes, he would slip the ring onto my finger and kiss me. And the whole world would stop spinning for a few seconds and it would just be us two; just us and the birds, the butterflies, and the flowers."

***

Today is March 8, 2009; the day me and Gabriella got together, which is why I chose today to ask my girlfriend of 4 years to be my wife. It's going to be the day that she remembers. She mentioned to me a 3 years and 6 months back how the perfect proposal would be. I wrote it down on paper the second I got home. I mean, just in case. Turns out, I'm not as oblivious and stupid as she says I am. I know she loves me anyways. I bought my tuxedo already and I told her and reminded her for weeks that we're going to have a special date today.

"Don't forget to pick the tux up at the dry cleaners at 3:45 today, Troy." Chad reminded me again as he took a big bite out of his sandwich. We we're at the cafeteria at the mall, which has the best food, I'm not joking. It's the only reason we go to the mall.

"Dude, I know. You've told me 5 million times today, I don't need another reminder." Chad put his hands up to surrender.

"Just saying, you know. You never know. _Never._" Chad said.

"I know. Thank you very much."

"You're date is at 4:30."

"I know, Chad."

"You sure?" He said with his mouth full.

"Yes, I'm sure I know what time my date is. I'm sure I know that I'm supposed to pick up my tux at 3:45 today. I'm pretty sure I know, Chad." My voice was a little aggravated, but I can't help it. I'm nervous, and I'm pretty sure I know how I planned this out.

"You sure you know everything?" He was serious this time, which bothered me a bit.

"I'm sure…" The way he said that made my insides curl with uncertainty. Did I miss something?

He checked his cell phone's calendar. Then his eyes bugged out, "Shoot! Dude, today is daylight savings!" The uncertainty in my body turned into certainty; certainty that today was not going to be as perfect as I thought it would be. I checked the time and added an hour to it: 4: 20. I only have 10 minutes.

"Gotta go dude!" I sat up until Chad stopped me.

"Why don't you postpone it?!" He screamed.

"Today is March 8. The day we got together. It's perfect. I wanted it to be this day since forever. I can't wait another year." I said it all very quickly. "I gotta go man!" He nodded and screamed out, "GO GET HER DUDE!" as I ran out of the building. Although the whole cafeteria watched, I couldn't care less. I cannot mess this up more than I already have.

I don't have time to get my tuxedo. I don't have time to pick up the ring at my house. I don't have time to do anything but go and pick up Gabriella. I rushed to her house in my car and made every possible yellow light. Honking horns cannot stop me today. It's a good thing that she doesn't live far from the mall. I parked the Mercedes by the curb and ran to her door and knocked.

She opened the door dressed in the most beautiful sun dress ever. "Hi Troy, I just got to go and get my purse." She smiled and my heart missed a beat. She came back out and looked at me.

"I thought you told me over and over again that it was formal?" I looked down on my outfit, jeans and the shirt I use to paint.

"Oh, yeah." I chuckled nervously, "It's complicated."

"Okay then." She smiled again. "Where are we going for this _special date_?" She poked my chest, mocking me for all the times I reminded her about this. I wish I reminded myself about the time.

"It's a seeecret…" She laughed and I opened her door. She got in as I ran around the front of the car and got in. I refreshed my memory of how to get to the garden, it was a long drive.

"All I'm saying is that it's going to take a while to get there. And that's it."

"Boo you." She pouted.

"Oh, you poor baby." I laughed with her. This night might actually work out. At least the car hasn't failed on me. Boy, that would be funny.

***

Please, curse me for jinxing my future. I held Gabriella close to me as we watched my car get hooked up to a tow machine. The time is somewhere around 5 now. The sunset, aka: the time I was going to ask Gabriella to be my wife, is coming soon and we're not at the garden, nor have we had the picnic yet.

"I don't think the car will be fixed in time for tomorrow, lad. I can give you a ride home if you want." The tow truck driver offered me.

"No, it's okay. Maybe you could drop us off the—"I cut off my sentence before I gave away where we were going. I leaned over closer to him and whispered to him, "Could you drop us off to Rosararilena Gardens, please?"

"As much as I wish I could, I can't. Sorry lad." He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled a sad smile. A smile out of pity. A failure smile. I will not fail tonight.

"Okay, can you drop us off to the nearest car rental place?"

"That, lad, I can do." He pointed at me and winked making a little snap sound with his mouth.

***

We arrived at the car-rental place a few minutes later. Gabriella and I waved goodbye to the tow truck driver man as he took the car to a Midas, the magical car-fixing place. We walked into the store.

"Hi, can I rent a car for tonight, Sir?" I said politely.

"Actually," Oh no, "We're out of cars for today. But I will be happy to drive you home, maybe, as soon as the store closes at 7." His grin never came off his face, which pissed me off to death. How can he be happy at a time like this?!

"Oh, okay. Maybe." I mustered up the biggest grin I could and flashed it to him.

"Troy, what are we going to do?" Gabriella asked.

"Oh, I'll figure something out." I ran my hand through my hair. "Gahhhhhhh." I sighed and then came up with the best I could. Tonight might not be perfect, but it's going to happen, I don't doubt that.

"You want to go outside Brie? The sunset is out." It was 6 o'clock, the time to pop the question.

"Okay." She took a hold of my hand and we went out the door. We sat on the bench outside, a wooden chair that looks like it's about to crack.

"Where were you supposed to take me tonight?" She asked looking at the sunset.

"Well, Gabriella, I was going to take you to Rosararilena Garden."

This time she looked at me, "Really? That's one of my favorite places." She smiled, "It's too bad then. But it's okay. We get to spend time together." And that's why I love her, the way she could make anything horrible into something good.

I took this as my cue, and got up from sitting and stood in front of her. "Will you stand please Brie?" She nodded and stood. I took both of her hands and placed them in mine.

"Gabriella, the reason I wanted to make this date super special, the reason why I kept reminding you over and over again, the reason why we were going to Rosararilena Garden, is because tonight I—"I stopped, something told me this wasn't the way to ask her.

"Gabriella, 3 years and 6 months ago, you told me how the perfect proposal would be. The day you told me that, I ran home and wrote it down the second I found a piece of paper and a pen. I know you don't remember, but I wrote it down because the second I saw you, I knew you were the one. Exactly 4 years ago on March 8, 2004, I asked you to be my girlfriend." I took out a crumpled piece of paper from my back pocket of my jeans, thank God that Chad wanted to read what Gabriella's perfect proposal is.

"You mention that you would want him to read you a poem that he wrote himself; I can't write poetry." I smiled sheepishly, all she did was smile confused, "This is what you said is a perfect proposal, _'If I could imagine a perfect proposal, it would be in a garden and we would be dressed up, it would be spring time and birds and butterflies and flowers would surround us as we stood in the sunset. He would say a poem that he wrote himself and tell me all the reasons of why he loves me. Then he would ask the big question and when I would say yes, he would slip the ring onto my finger and kiss me. And the whole world would stop spinning for a few seconds and it would just be us two; just us and the birds, the butterflies, and the flowers.'_ I know there's no garden or birds, or butterflies, or flowers. I'm not dressed up; I practically wasted a perfectly good tuxedo. I don't have a poem or the ring, which is at home. But I can tell you a million reasons of why I love you. I love you because you don't ever give up in me or in anybody. I love you because you find the good in everything. I love you because you're beautiful. I love you because you complete me. I love you because no matter how corny I can be, you never ever make fun of me. All in all, I love you because you love me, and because you're everything perfect is and more." After my little speech, I got down on one knee.

"Gabriella Anne Montez, will you marry me?" I blushed madly as did she. She smiled.

"Yes." She said it so calmly, just the way I imagined she would. All my nervousness left and suddenly the night wasn't horrible. No matter what happens, nothing can bring me down. Because I'm marrying the girl of my dreams.

I stood up and picked her up and twirled us around. She shrieked and giggled. "I love you Gabriella!" I put her down and did what I wanted to do so badly. I kissed her. And that kiss was a mind stopping, world stop-spinning, and all of a sudden it was just us; just the two of us standing in the sunset.


End file.
